Suspended ceiling construction and clip therefor



Dec. 29, 1964 N. NELSSON 3,163,266

SUSPENDED CEILING CONSTRUCTION AND CLIP THEREFOR Filed Jan. 25. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Dec. 29, 1964 N. NELSSON 3,163,266

SUSPENDED CEILING CONSTRUCTION AND CLIP THEREFOR Filed Jan. 23, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

FY2365 Wax??? OA WWM/ ited States Patent 3,163,266 SUSPENDED (:EHING CGNSTRUCTION AND CLE Ti-EREFOR Nets Nelsson, Des Plaines, Ill., assignor to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, 11., a corporation of Hlinois Filed Ian. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,391 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-35) This invention relates to an improvement in suspended ceiling construction, and more particularly, to an improved means for interconnecting the supporting members of a ceiling construction in such a manner that panelling may be secured flatly thereto.

In one type of suspended ceiling construction now on the market, a number of parallel primary supporting members are suspended by hanger wires from overhead joists or the like. A plurality of cross members or furring strips are then attached transversely to these primary support members by means of wire ties; and single layers of gypsum board are attached to the cross members by self-drilling, self-tapping screws. This type of ceiling has the advantage of being easily and'economically erected. Howeventhe method of securing the cross members to the primary support members by wire ties is especially time consuming, since the workman is required to wrap the wire around the members a number of times and then bend-tie the ends thereof securely. Although with this method of interconnecting the members, there is little relative movement between the members, the use of the wire ties is not completely satisfactory, because the'strands of wire extending along the underside of the cross' members do not permit'the layers of gypsum board to flatly engage these members for secure and stable attachment.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to pro vide an improvement in a suspended ceiling construction, whereby the primary support members and the cross members may be securely interconnected.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved means for interconnecting the primary supporting members and the cross members in a suspended ceiling construction, so that the bottom surface of the cross members will be substantially coplanar and the. ceiling panels may be flatly and firmly secured thereto.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved clip which can be quickly and easily attached to a primary support member and a cross member in a suspended ceiling construction to thereby eflect a strong interconnection between these members.

Another object of this invention is to provide an easily mountable and demountable clip for economically and securely interconnecting the supporting members in a suspended ceiling construction.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an inexpensive clip for readily interconnecting the supporting members of a suspended ceiling construction in such a manner that no portion of the clip will extend below the bottom surface of the lower supporting member.

It is another object of this invention to provide a clip which may be used to interconnect a primary support member and a cross member in a ceiling construction and may also be used to securely splice two cross members together either at the intersection with a primary support member or between two primary members.

Other objects will be seen, and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 7 V V This invention is directed to an improved means for effecting the interconnection in transverse relationship between the primary support members and. the underice lying cross members in a suspended ceiling constructio'n. In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a clip is provided having .a pair of angularly divergent legs and a transverse intermediate portion resiliently joining the legs and adapted to be secured to one-of the primary support members in the ceiling construction. Each leg of the clip has a terminal end portion which extends inwardly toward the opposite leg; and these inwardly extending end portions are adapted to resiliently.

engage the cross member at a point above the bottom surface thereof. To facilitate this engagement, the cross members are preferably provided with laterally extending projections or flanges.

The intermediate portion of the clip. is bent to form ber have been engaged ,by the terminal end portions of i w the clip legs.

With respect to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a suspended ceiling construction showing clips constructed in accordance with this invention efiFectively interconnecting a pair of parallel cross members to a primary sup-.

port member;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the clip illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an 'end elevation viewvof'the'clip illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the ceiling construction illustrated in FIG. 1 taken substantially along line 44 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the clip showing the manner in which the clip will eifectively interconnect two longitudinally spliced cross members to a primary member in the ceiling construction; I

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified clip which may be used to secure a cross member to a primary member in a ceiling construction; and

FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of the modified clip illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly .to FIG. 1, an improved suspended ceiling construction is shown and includes a plurality of elongated metal primary support members 12 arranged in spaced, substantially parallel relationship and suspended by guys or hanger wires 14 from overhead rafters or beams, not shown. A

plurality of elongated metal cross members 16 in spaced,

substantially parallel relationship with respect to one another are disposed transversely below the primary support members 12. The primary members 12 may be channel-shaped, as illustrated, having parallel side pieces 12a and 12b and an intermediate connecting web 120. The member is oriented so that one of the side pieces 12a or 12b is horizontal; and, thus, the other side piece will be disposed at the top as shown. v

The cross members 16 may also be substantially channel-shaped, each having a flat, substantially planar base portion 16a, a pair of substantially parallel side webs 16b and 16c, and a pair of flanges 18 and 2.0. The flanges 18 and 20 are substantially coplanar and parallel to the plane of the base 16a, so that when the flanges 18 and 20 are brought firmly and flatly into engagement with the horizontal underlying side piece 12:: of the primary support member, the base portion 16:: will also be horizontally disposed. v

The gypsum wallboard panels 22 are flatly mounted against the underside of the base 16a of each cross member by means of self-drilling, self-tapping screws 23.

3,163,256 Patented Dec. 29, 1964,

, 3 a The wal-lbo ard panels 22 are arranged in abutting, edgeto-edge relationship to form a continuous ceiling.

Heretofore, it had been the practice to tie the primary support members 12 to the cross member 16 by means of wires looped. about both members. The portion of the wire extending about the cross members, however, prevented the gypsum wallboard panels 22fro-m flatly Inorder;

engaging the base 160 of the cross'members. to avoid this clifiiculty and at the same time facilitate the interconnection between these members, the clip 26 is provided. i r J i This clip isb'est illustrated in'FIGS. 2,3, and 4,. and includes a pair of angularly divergent legs 28 and 29, disposed substantially in and defining a common plane,

and a transverse intermediate or latch portion 30 disposed.

substantially normal to the plane of the legs 28 and '29. The divergence of the legs 28 and 29 is gradual from. the intermediate portion 39 to the. respective knees 28a and 29a. At these knees the legs preferably diverge sharply outward at a substantially greater angle. This increased angle of divergence below the knees 28a and 29a insures a tighter clamping actiorion the cross members as will be more fully described. The'leg 28 has a hook formation 1 32' extending inwardly toward the opposite leg 2 and definingone end limit of the clip 26. The leg 29 has a similar hook formation 33 extending inwardly toward the leg 28 and defining the other end limit of .the clip 26.

The intermediate portion 3% of the clip is bent to form a distal bight 34 and two substantially parallel arms 35 and 36. Adjacent the distal bight 34 the arms of the intermediate portion 30 of the clip are bent angularly' downward, that is, in the general direction of the plane of the legs 28 and 29and theii they are flared angularly upward in the opposite direction to form a depending double protuberant formation'37 preceded by the up turned camming tip. terminating at the bigh-t.

The spacing between the hook formations32 and 33 on the legs of the clip is less than the width of the laterally flanged cross member 16;. andihe clip is applied to the cross membe-rby spreading the legs 28'and 2 9 with the hook formations 32 and 33 thereon apart, so that the hook formations may pass overthe flanges 18 and 20 on the cross member 16 and when released may engage under these flanges. The opening of the hook formations should be large enough to allow. the flanges of the cross member to locate within the eye-thereof. and to allow the extremitiesof the formations to engage the undersides of these flanges in close proximity to the side webs 16b and 160. i

As previously stated, the legs of the clip preferablyclip 26 is thus locked in positionand firmly interconnects V the primary support member 12 to the transverse cross member 16.

protuberance must be moved. This will cause the coplanar legs 28 and 29 to rest-firmly and flatly against support members 12.

the web 120 of the primary support memberlZ when the clip is locked in positionas just described. a

The clip is adapted to interconnect the cross member 16 to the primary support member'12 even at a telescop ing splice of the cross members, as best illustrated in FIG. 5. The resilience of the clip is such that the hook formations 32 and 33 will engage under the flanges 18 and 20 (the latter not shown) of the lowermost cross member 16, and the latching formation may be snapped across the top of the primary support member 12 in the manner justdescribed to lock the second cross member 16 in position with its flanges 18' and 20 between the flanges of the first cross member'and the underlying side p-iece 12a of the primary support member 12. The wedging action of the legs below the knees 28a and 29a tightly clamps the, two cross members together to form a strong splice. The clip may be employed to effect this splice between the flanged cross member sections' even at a point intermediate two of the primary In the latter case,'of course, the

f intermediate or latch portion 39 of the clip will not engage the primary support member. V A slightly modified'c'lip 38 is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7; and this clip is especially adapted for use with wooden;

end limit of the clip 38. A corresponding hook forma i tion 45 extends inwardly from leg 4 3 toward the leg 42 anddefines the other end limit of the clip 38. The clip 33 may be attached to the laterally flanged cross member 16 by spreading the hookformations 44 and 45 until they can be snapped over the flanges 20 and .21 of this cross member.

. l oining the two divergent legs 42 and 43 at a restricted throat 36 is a bight portion 48. A fastening member Sflsuchas a nail or screw, preferably having a shank diameter larger than the width of the throat 46, is adapted toextend through the bight portion 48 and into the primary support member 40, so that the clip 38 may be firmly fastened to thispriinary support member. Thus, the cross member 16 is locked securely in place against the underside of the primary support member 4%.

as measured ver ically, i.e.,-falong a line bisecting the relative angle of the legs 28 and 29, is preferably approxima-tely equal to or slightly less than the vertical dimension (height) 0 ft the webs 120 of the primary support members 12. Thus, with the cross member 16 engaged by the hook portions 32 and 33 of the clipand with the primary support member 12 flatly engaging the coplanar flanges 18 and 20 of the cross member 16, the transverse intermediate portion 36 will just reach to the side piece 12b at the top of the primary support member 12. Since the distal bight 34 oftln's latch member is upturned, the latch member may be forced against the primary support member 12, and the latch member will be resiliently cammed upwardly to permit the depending doubleprotuberances 37 to slide over the surface of the side piece 12b at the top of the primary support member 12 When this protuberance has traversed the side piece 12b, it will resiliently snap into place over'the edge thereof. The

Itmay be seen that a clip constructed in accordance. with this invention iseflective to cooperate with a cross member having outwardly extending hook formations preferably in the form of flanges to effectively and securely connect this cross member to a primary support member. The clips may be easily installed minimizing labor time in assembly of the ceiling; and no portion of the clip extends below the flat surface of the crossjmember 16 to interfere with the attachment of the flat gypsum panels thereto.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example andth'at' many modifications and changes in various detailsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ceiling construction having a plurality of elongate parallel primary support, members and a plurality of parallel cross members disposed below and in transverse juxtaposed position with respect to said primary support members, each of said cross members tending inwardly toward the opposite le and having an upwardly extending portion defining an end limit of the clip, the distance between said end limits and said latch portion being no greater than the vertical dimension of one of said primary support members when the I clip is unstressed, each leg being bowed between said latch portion and said hook formation, said latch portion having its distal end bent angularly in the general direction of said legs and then angularly flared in the opposite direction, whereby said latch portion may resiliently lock over the top of one of said primary support members, and said hook formations may engage and support the latching formations of said cross member.

2. In combination with a plurality of elongate parallel primary support members and a plurality of parallel cross members disposed below and extending transversely with respect to said primary support members, each. of said cross members having a substantially flat base and latching formations spaced from said base and extending laterally outward on either side thereof; an improved clip for joining one of said cros members to one of said primary support members, said clip having a pair of downwardly extending angularly divergent substantially coplanar resilient legs, and an intermediate latch portion extending substantially normal to said legs, each leg having a hook formation extending inwardly toward the opposite leg and having an upwardly extending portion defining an end limit of the clip, the distance between said end limits and said latch portion being no greater than the vertical dimension of one of said primary support members when the clip is unstressed, each of said legs diverging first gnadually and then sharply from the latch portion toward the hook formation, whereby the said legs will have resilience in the vertical direction and will resiliently clamp said members together.

3. In a ceiling construction having a plurality of elongate parallel primary support members and a plurality of parallel cross members disposed below and extending transversely with respect to said primary support members, each of said cross members having a substantially fiat base and latching formations spaced from said base and extending laterally outward on either side thereof; an improved clip joining one of said cross members to one of said primary support members, said clip having a pair of angularly divergent, substantially coplanar resilient legs extending downwardly in juxtaposed relation with one side of one of said primary members, and an intermediate latch portion extending substantially normal to said legs, each leg having a hook formation extending inwardly toward the opposite leg and having an upwardly extending portion defining an end limit of the clip, the distance between said end limits and said latch portion being no greater than the vertical dimension of one of said primary support members when the clip is unstressed, each of said legs diverging first gradually and then sharply from the latch portion toward the hook formation, whereby the said legs will have resilience in the vertical direction and will resiliently clamp said members together. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,676,679 Price Apr. 27, 1954 2,877,878 Jantsch Mar. 17, 1959 3,012,640 Sluka Dec. 12, 1961 

1. IN A CEILING CONSTRUCTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE PARALLEL PRIMARY SUPPORT MEMBERS AND A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL CROSS MEMBERS DISPOSED BELOW AND IN TRANSVERSE JUXTAPOSED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID PRIMARY SUPPORT MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BASE AND LATCHING FORMATIONS SPACED FROM SAID BASE AND EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARD ON EITHER SIDE THEREOF; THE COMBINATION WITH SAID PRIMARY SUPPORT MEMBERS AND CROSS MEMBERS OF AN IMPROVED CLIP FOR JOINING SAID MEMBERS TOGETHER, SAID CLIP HAVING A PAIR OF DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING ANGULARLY DIVERGENT SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR RESILIENT LEGS, AND AN INTERMEDIATE LATCH PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID LEGS, EACH LEG HAVING A HOOK FORMATION EXTENDING INWARDLY TOWARD THE OPPOSITE LEG AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION DEFINING AN END LIMIT OF THE CLIP, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID END LIMITS AND SAID LATCH PORTION BEING NO GREATER THAN THE VERTICAL DIMENSION OF ONE OF SAID PRIMARY SUPPORT MEMBERS WHEN THE CLIP IS UNSTRESSED, EACH LEG BEING BOWED BETWEEN SAID 